Local Goa News

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Panjim murder victim visited offshore casino

Kumar spent Rs 1,000 on gambling; Visit to the vessel is not linked with the murder prima facie; police probing all angles and theories

PANJIM: The 60-year-old tourist, whose body was found in a pool of blood early Monday morning, had visited an off-shore casino where he reportedly betted Rs 1,000 on gambling. Virendra Kumar’s visit to the vessel is not linked with the murder prima facie; however Panjim police are probing all angles and theories concerning the case.
“He had visited one off-shore casino where he spent Rs 1,000 on gambling. We are trying to ascertain whether he went there alone or with the absconding accused,” PI Siddhant Shirodkar told Herald.
A taxi driver by profession, Kumar had checked-in Sapna Hotel along with the four accused boys last weekend. He was on a holiday to Goa, according to the deceased’s son’s statement to the police. The police are groping in the dark to nab the perpetrators of the crime, thanks to the negligence by the hotel manager.
“If the hotel management had to record details of all its visitors, we would have traced the accused by now. We are still trying to find out whether the victim and accused travelled to Goa together, or they met him in Goa. But negligence on the part of the hotel management has resulted in hindrance into the investigation,” the officer said. “We have managed to get the lone evidence in the form of CCTV footage. However, there are other leads based on which we are taking the investigation ahead.”
The CCTV footage shows the 60-year-old and the accused persons at the reception counter. After the murder, it is learnt the accused withdrew around Rs 30,000 from the victim’s ATM card. The police have circulated the snapshot evidence to all the police stations, bus stands, railway stations, and border checkposts in search of the accused.
The post mortem report mentions, “violent asphyxia as a result of combined effect of manual and soft ligature smothering…” Meanwhile, a police report mentioning the violation of Collectorate’s order has been sent to the district collector for action against the hotel.

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Nepalese held for stealing phones, camera from St Cruz market

PANJIM: Agassaim Police on Monday night arrested a Nepalese in connection with the theft of mobile phones and camera from St Cruz market.
According to Agassaim Police they intercepted a two-wheeler at Bambolim and arrested one Jivan Parial (26) native of Nepal while two other accomplices managed to flee.
The police disclosed that the mobiles phones worth Rs 1 lakh were stolen from a shop in the St Cruz market by breaking the shutters.
The motorcycle without number plate which was used by the accused was stolen from Ponda. Further investigations are on.